just a min. if you were to get a full size katana made by cold steel you would easily be able to take down at least 70-80 of them before dulling,
besides, you are right about his katana, a sixty dollar katana would not only dull after 2 or three, it would most likely break!!

The weapon you posted the budk link to is not a Katana, it's a Ninja-to. ALL Katana's have curved blades for slashing. And stainless steel is
worthless in any situation, a good high carbon steel would cut it in half without losing it's edge. A true Katana is the best sword ever designed,
and a well forged one will never need sharpening. Using a Katana will also not just be a hack-n-slash situation, it takes skill to use one properly.
If you want to learn to use on then study Bushido and concentrate that study on the Katana.

It is physics. Any forged blade when sharpened correctly hardly needs resharpening. The leading edge on Japanese swords is usually sharpened in a
convex manner. Western knives and swords are usually sharpened where the leading edge is either flat or concave. This causes the edge to be weaker,
and especially with concave sharpening will cause it to fold over. Blade sharpening is an art, any idiot can use a stone or grinding wheel, but it
takes skill to make an edge that has the strength to stand up to use.

What you are cutting tends to build up on the concave sharpened blades, also. Convex sharpening makes the material bend outward from the blade when
it is cut, and won't bind it up.

I think you would fair much better with a good sturdy machete. Not only is it an invaluable tool it is an awesome weapon.I got my Kukri machete for
around $25. Not only will it chop down small trees but it'll take off a zombie head with ease if you find yourself in your zombie scenario . Mine is
a foot an a half long and only weighs about one pound. It's small enough for close quarter combat and can be used with one hand. If you insist on
keeping your sword my advice is get some lessons in using it.

i think it TSHTF, it would be cool to have a little of everything laying about. you know, a couple guns, a bow, and some sharp things. even if your
ninjato might not be the best, hey it still looks cool and could be useful. have you considered getting a spear too?

There's a big difference between "hardly needs resharpening" and "will never need to be resharpened." Of course, a great blade will hold its edge
for a long time, through a lot of use. But no steel is indestructible, and therefor neither are edges that are made out of it.

So what is wrong with reloading shotgun ammo with homemade powder (recipes readily available) and cast slugs and shot with lead from car batteries?
I'd rather shoot a Katana-wielding guy from 50 yards than get mixed up in a sword fight.

The bond between sword and master is one of respect, ability, and spirit.
One is useless without the other.
In the hands of a master, the sword becomes an extension of the spirit and the will, helping to focus one's energy.
To the rest of us, a sword is a tool.
No more than a survival knife, yet the sword and it's capabilities, still need to be respected.

First and foremost, in practical context, a sword, even a knife, for that matter, needs to be "FULL TANG". This means solid width, the length of the
sword complete through the handle.
On hard hit if the blade is not full tang, will shatter (any) handle, including poured metal. A sword with a drop end tang will slide right out or the
handle and render you injured and/or defenseless.

In survival situations, anything that cuts is useful and defense capable.

Through personal experience, and the acquisition of several dozen swords throughout my life, more expensive does not really mean better.
I have purchased some really nice swords, and I will be honest, the Best and most practical of any of them, was actually not that expensive.
I have destroyed every sword I ever had, testing it out practically.
Save for one. I could not kill it. I dulled it and resharpened it and purchased several more.
The sword is like this one. www.amazon.com...
I beat the hell out of this sword, and resharpened it and beat the hell out of it again and resharpened it again etc.
The one thing I had to do though was, add more cushion and wrapping to the handle. Reverbs.
Once you are used to it though, this sword is great.
I have also 2 short swords More like buie knives, of this make.

I cut 2" tree branches, thick marine rope, banged nails with the back side, which is really thick, and adds a lot of strength, stabbed it through a
door panel, chopped down a small tree, cut wire, opened cans, chopped open coconuts, broken windshields and poked a hole in the trunk of a junker car,
stabbed it into asphalt, and broke my pals katana with it.
A turn or 2 on the wheel to fix burrs, a sharpening stone, and a honing stone, and good as new.
Indispensable in my book. And it's cheap.
As far as defense goes, I am dead when I face down a ninja for sure, but I know how to conceal and handle a sword and I am not a novice.
Once again as stated before, training is the key.
Don't assume that just because you have a tool you will know how to use it.
After all a pen can be just as deadly as a sword, and it's only a pen.

How about wsome small pebbles and a slingshot.... Maybe a steel baseball bat?

I own a 6 foot solid steel rod I got from an old factory of some type... It has threads on the top but not the bottom... God awful heavy thing but if
you swung it into something it wont stop for something soft and squishy.

I own a crappy machette... But thats more for scareing possums and whacking weeds.

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